Battle of the Vozha River (1378)
|result=Russian victory |combatant1=Grand Duchy of Moscow |combatant2=The Golden Horde |commander1=Dmitri Ivanovich of Moscow |commander2=Murza Begich † |strength1=unknown |strength2=unknown |casualties1=unknown |casualties2=Almost entire army killed }} Battle of the Vozha River (Russian Битва на реке Воже) was a battle fought between the Grand Principality of Moscow and the Golden Horde on August 11, 1378. Background In the spring of 1376 the Russian army, led by Dmitri of Volyn invaded the area of the Mongol controlled territory along the Volga River, took 5,000 rubles from the custom officials of Mamai and installed Russian customs officials. In 1376, Arab-Shah, khan of the Blue Horde, destroyed the Principality of Novosil, but was able to avoid an encounter with the army sent by the Grand Principality of Moscow along the Oka River. In 1377, after the defeat in the Battle of the Pyana River, the forces of Arab-Shah destroyed the Principality of Nizhny Novgorod and the principality of Ryazan. After another successful raid of Arab-Shah on the Russian frontier, the next year Mamai decided to attack the Grand Principality of Moscow. Course of the battle The Russians were led by Prince Dmitri Ivanovich of Moscow who has not yet received his nickname Donskoi. The Tatars were commanded by murza Begich. The two armies met near the river Vozha, a tributary of the Oka. After successful reconnaissance Dmitri managed to block the ford which the Tatars intended to use for the crossing of the river. He occupied a good position for his troops on a hill. The Russians' formation had a shape of a bow with Donskoy leading the center the flanks under the command of Timofey Velyaminov and Andrei of Polotsk. After waiting a long time, Begich decided to cross the river and to encircle the Russians from both sides. However, the attack of the Tatar cavalry was repelled and the Russian went over to a counter-attack. The Tatars left their tracks and began retreating in disorder, many of them drowned in the river. Begich himself was killed. Consequences The battle of the Vozha River was the first important victory of the Russians over a big army of the Golden Horde. It had a big psychological effect before the famous Battle of Kulikovo because it demonstrated the vulnerability of the Tatar cavalry which was unable to overcome tough resistance or withstand determined counter-attacks. For Mamai, the defeat of Vozha meant a direct challenge by Dmitri which caused him to start a new unsuccessful campaign two years later. Victims Among the persons killed in the battle are: * Dmitri Monastyrev * Nazar Danilovich Kusakov Memory In honor of the victory in 1379 Grand Prince Dmitri Donskoy built the Assumption Cathedral in Kolomna See also * Tatar invasions * Russo-Kazan Wars * Grand Duchy of Moscow * Mongol invasion of Rus * Timeline of the Tataro-Mongol Yoke in Russia References * Битва на реке Воже.avi - Film reconstitution of the battle on You Tube * Битва на Воже на сайте Rustrana.Ru * Битва на Воже на сайте Hrono.Ru * Сообщение об археологических раскопках Category:1378 in Russia Category:Conflicts in 1378 Category:Battles involving the Mongols Category:Battles involving Russia Category:Golden Horde